When you are sewing the design on your greetings card the instructions may call for backstitch and stem stitch. The following diagrams show how these stitches are worked.
Where the design calls for back stitch this works as follows:
 Out at 2 in at 1
Out at 3 in at 2
Out at 4 in at 3
Where the design calls for stem stitch this works as follows:
 Out at 1 in at 3
Out at 2 in at 4
Out at 3 in at 5
In many of the sewing card designs the shapes are created with long stitches. These traverse a set number of holes and usually move forward by one hole at a time. This technique can be used to create circles, curves and many other shapes.
The following diagram shows a petal shape from the flowering vine greeting card sewing pattern. The stitches go to the hole half way around the shape so all the holes are used once. These shapes are easy to understand and easy to work.
Some of the stitches in the diagram have been picked out in colour to make it easier to see where they are going.
On some designs the holes are used more than once so that the design may look more complicated than it really is. If you get stuck on these the best thing is to study the finished diagram. It us usually a lot easier to just sew it than to know how it works.
Generally, if you keep moving forward one hole at a time, keeping the same number of holes between the out and in holes, you will complete the shape as it is intended.
The following diagram shows a circle. The stitches span six holes including the out and in holes. The first few numbers indicate the way the stitches are going. When you get to unnumbered holes keep the sequence going by moving forward by one hole at a time. Keep the stitch length to six holes. All the holes are used twice in this example. Some lines are different colours for clarity.
The following diagram is from a lily greeting card sewing pattern (available from Stitching Cards). Although at a glance it may look difficult a methodical approach will work. Move forward one set of holes at a time. Keep the same number of holes between the hole you come out of and the hole you go in at. Continue the stitching until the shape is completed.
Some of the stitches in the above diagram have been picked out in colour to make it easier to see where they are going.
Related web links:
What embroidery thread should I use for stitching cards?
From string art to stitching cards: a brief history
How to add a Stitching Cards font to your computer
More craft links...
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